Rear indicator for vehicles.



W, H. SAMMONS.

REAR INDICATOR ma VEHICLES.

APPLICATION 'FILED JUNE 3, M110. lghygrl., Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

W. H. SAMMONS. REAR INDICATOR FOR VEHICLES.

APFLIOATION FILED JUNES, 1910. 1,040,771, Patented ot.8,1912.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WALTER, H. SAMMNS, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

'REAR INDICATOR Fon VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 3,

Intent 1.

To all whom It may concern.-

Be it known that I, Tamm H. SAM- -MoNs, a citizen ol the United States, residing in Philadelphia', Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Rear Indicators for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The main object ot my invent-ion is to provide an automobile or other vehicle with mechanism which will indicate to an automobile or other vehicle following that to which the device is attached, whether the vehicle will proceed in a straight path or turn to the right or left.

A further object of the invention is to actaate the mechanism through an electric circuit from the chautfeurs or drivers seat oit the vehicle.

"[t is now the practice in many cities, when an automobile is aboutto turn to the right or left, to indicate the movement by the arm, lout this in many instances is impracticahle owing to the fact that the chauf lteur has to he on the watch atl crowded street crossings and it requires all his attention to make the proper turn, whereas by the invention which l shall now proceed to describe warning can be readily given. as the device can he set before coming to the crossing and it will remain set as long as desired.

In the acconn'mnving drawings :-Figurc l. is a. tace view ot my improved indicator; Fig. 2, is a side view; Fig. 3, is a plan lView; Fig. 4, is a sectional view looking at the t'ront ot' the case; Fig. 5, is a view looking at the rcar of the case and also illustrating the wiring leading 'trom the switch or push buttons at the chault'eurs scat; and Fig. t3, is a view showing the device attached to an automobile.

A a casing made of metal or other suitahle material and preferably made in halves A', A2, secured together hy screws n or other tastcning's. lin tho trout o't` the casing are two openings b and c through which lights are exposed at night. and one ol these openings is glazed with a red glass and the other with a green glass, to indicate le'l't and right. lack ot these openings are the electric light lnilhs l); and (il. respectively. Fig.

li) is a shaft on which is mounted a sernap'uore l) which. wher in the normal position, is;I hack o'le a plate Il. e.\'tcnding 'rhnw top to bottom olthe casing. .so that the rattnteaoet. 8,1912

1910. Serial No. 564,866.

semaphore will he out ol view when in thc central position, and will only he exposed when moved to thc right cr lct't. The semaphore is used in daylight to indicate the. direction ot movement. ol' the vehicle and the electric lights are used at night; the semaphore boing cut out hy the switches F, li, in the present instance located on the top ot the casing. as illustrated in Fig. l.

Within the casing and carried by the sshaft:` is a two-armed arnnlture (l, and E. E

tioncd in respect to the armature that when one magnet is energized that arm will he drawn down and the semaphore will he moved into one position, and when the other magnet is energized that arm will be drawn down and the .semaphore will he moved into the position opposite. indicating to the vehicle following the direction of movement of the automobile. rlhc magnets VIC, E are connected to a fwitch G located preferably on the arm o'l the cha u tl'curs4 or drivers seat at the liront ot thc vehicle. tho circuit passing through the switches F. l and through the hattetv ill. 'lhe lights ll and (l are connected h v the wires indicated in Fig. 5, tl'lrough the switches F, l"l and hattery H to the switch (i.

When th'e switches: lt`. lT are in the neutral position. then the device is out ol` action. and when thc switch arms` are ntovcd over the contacts f. f then thc magnets ll. lC arcin circuit. so that on shitting' the switch G to the right or lct't. thc semaphore will he moved to the right or le'l't. indicating the direction o' movement ol' the vehicle. Vhen the :switch arma are .shi'ltcd so that thcv will he over the contacts f. then thc senn'lpl'lore operating' means is out ot' circuit and the lights are in circuit. so that when the lsrwitch at thc chantl'curs` scat is turned to the right a. green light will alniw. indicating that the machine will turn to the right. and when thc .switch is turned to thc other c.\'trcnlc posh tion the rcd liffht will chow. indicating that thc vchiclc will turn to the lett. ll'hcn the .switch is in neutral position ncithcv` ot` the lights will `show.

lVhcn thc caaing is madc in two sections as shown. I mount a plate v' on thc section anda plate i on the section .so that when thc parts arc asscmhlcd thc two plates` will l contact ono with thc other. colnplclilll" lltv l return circuit. as thc plate 'f is wired to the are two electromagncts which are posi-v magnets E, E While the plate i is connected to the battery and also Wireddto the lamps B and C.

I prefer to place the device at the rear of the vehicle and, in the present instance, It mount it on a bracket- N and project-ing from the bottom of the case are studs n, n which extend vthrough openings in the bracket, and these studs are threaded for the reception of nuts. The device may be placed on the fenders or other parts of the vehicle Without departing from the essential features of the invention.

l claim r- 1. A signaling device comprising a casing, having two openings arranged one on either side of a vertical line, an electric lamp back of each open-ing, a semaphore pivoted between the openings, an armature connected to the semaphore, magnets operable on the armature to rock the semaphore, means in common with the lamps and magnets to thrown-either the .lamps or the magnets into circuit, and means ,for energizing either lamp when 'the lamps are in circuit, said latter means also being capable ot energizing either magnet when the magnets are in circuit.

''he combination a signaling device hai/hing two lt-penings arranged 1 side oit a center line, an electric lamp lr eh oi: opening, a rocleshatt located be cui ottici/rings and extcndii'ig through, 'the ig, a semaphore keyed to the shaft ontsit lie casing, a plate normally covering the semaphore; a tvvwarmed lever keyed to' the rock-shaft and forming an armature; two magnets one of said magnets being secured adjacent one arm of said lever the other magnet being secured adjacent the other arm oit the lever, one of said magnets when energized being operable on its respective lever arm to rock the shaft in one circuit, said latter means also being capable of energizing either magnet when the magnets are in circuit. I

3. The combination of a casing having openings, two electric lampstherein, a shaft, a semaphore on the shaft, an armature also on the shaft Wit-hin the casing, tvv-o electromagnetslarranged to attract the armature, two switch arms on 'the casing arranged to 'threev the lights or the magnets in circuit,

and a switehglocated a'lr the chauteurs seat and operable to llghtelther lamp athen the lamps are in eiiienit and to energize, either iet when the magnets are in circuit.

:': ,=,:;imon y whereohl have signed my specification, in the presence of Atwo subscribing witnesses.

TWALTER H. SAMMON illitnesses A 'tiliipniaivr lil. BRADLEY, RWM. A. BARR. 

